Valencia's Cup Kings: 22 straight wins in one-off ties against lower opposition
Los Che continue their remarkable Copa del Rey record spanning two decades, with early goals proving crucial in their march to the quarter-finals.
Despite battling relegation in La Liga, Valencia CF continue their love affair with the Copa del Rey, reaching the quarter-finals and keeping their trophy dreams alive.
The Early Strike Strategy
Valencia’s approach in the cup has been crystal clear this season - score early and kill the upset before it can breathe. This tactic has served them brilliantly in their last two knockout ties against Segunda Division opposition.
Against Sporting Gijón in the round of 16, Lucas Beltrán struck after just three minutes, immediately deflating El Molinón and neutralising the home advantage. Then in the last 16 at Burgos, it was young Rubo Iranzo who delivered the crucial blow after just 10 minutes at El Plantío, giving Los Che the platform they needed to advance.
A Two-Decade Cup Dominance
What’s truly remarkable about Valencia’s cup pedigree is their consistency in these potential banana skin fixtures. The Copa del Rey format has changed numerous times over the years, switching between two-legged ties and one-off matches at the lower-ranked team’s ground.
But Valencia have mastered the latter format with extraordinary consistency:
- They’ve won their last 22 consecutive one-off knockout matches against lower-division opponents
- Their last defeat in such circumstances came back in October 2004 - nearly 20 years ago!
- That 1-0 loss to Lleida (with Claudio Ranieri in charge) represents their only stumble in this format this century
Corberán’s Cup Focus
Current manager Carlos Corberán clearly understands the potential pitfalls of these cup ties. After navigating a difficult match against Cartagena earlier in the competition, Valencia have stepped up their game against stronger Segunda opposition.
Corberán’s post-match comments after the Burgos victory revealed his respect for the competition’s unpredictability: “We knew how treacherous the Cup can be. A Second Division team eliminated Madrid.”
While Valencia’s league form has them battling in the relegation places, their cup run offers a ray of sunshine for the Mestalla faithful. The cup has always been unpredictable - the proverbial dog and bone - but Valencia’s record suggests they’re the masters of avoiding upsets when they’re the favourites.